06—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 20,1980
Beef prices on rise in
DENVER, Colo., Retail
beef prices m 1981 are ex
pected to average about 10
percent higher than in 1980,
the National Cattlemen’s
Association predicted
Monday
NCA said present in
dications are most of the
expected price increase will
occur in the spring, when
meat production will be
decreasing seasonally. Beef
supplies and prices are
expected to be fairly stable
during the remainder of the
year.
For 1981 in total, beef
production will increase
about 1 percent, NCA said,
and poultry output also will
rise. However, pork
production will decrease,
and total meat production in
1981 mil be down slightly
from 1980. The drop in pork
supplies will contribute to
the expected rise in average
Maryland teens
(Continued from Page D 5)
aspirations are of a career in
veterinary medicine
Moving to a small farm in
1976 intensified Annette’s
interest in animals hookmg
for help at the Charles
county fair led to 4-H
membership and a variety of
projects, including
photography, gardening,
field < rops, broilers and
veterinary science This
latter project resulted in
ownership and a chance to
practice preventive
medicme with beef cattle,
sheep and goats. Her in
terest in photography and
veterinary science helped
her to master the art of
microphotography An
nette’s parents are Mr and
Mrs Paul V. Bailey. Her trip
to the National 4-H Congress
was sponsored by the
Maryland State Veterinary
Medical Association
Charles County - Lon L
Burke, 15, of White Plains;
rabbits. Miss Burke is a
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10
Lancaster Farming's Annual
PA. FARM SHOW
ISSUE
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in this Special Issue. Deadline December 31
beef as well as pork prices
Merlyn Carlson, NCA
president, pointed out that
the nation’s basic inflation
problem, affecting the prices
of all goods and services, is
responsible for much of the
recent and expected in
crease in average meat
prices Supply changes are
not the only cause
The average cattle price
received by cattle feeders
this year has been slightly
less than the 1979 average
Carlson said, but inflation
and rising costs of
processing and distribution
have put upward pressure on
retail beef prices increase
for the year is only 5 percent,
or considerably less than the
over-all inflation rate
A major reason for beef’s
not showing much price
increase this year his been
the total supply of meat
With an increase in pork
sophomore in McDonough
high school at Pomfret Lon
was selected to participate
last summer in a program
for the gifted and talented at
the University of Maryland
She, too, has aspirations for
a career in veterinary
medicine Her parents are
Mr. and Mrs. Paul T Burke
When she moved to
Charles county with her
family four years ago, Lon
decided that joining a 4-H
club would be a good way to
meet other persons of her
age She already had ex
perience with rabbits, but
membership in the county 4-
H rabbit club taught her a lot
she didn’t know previously
She won the junior 4-H rabbit
judging contest at the
Maryland State Fair in both
1978 and 1979 Other 4-H
projects have included small
pets, dog training and junior
leadership Her trip to the
National 4-H Congress was
sponsored by the Maryland
State Fair Board
kuucui/jj 1 ''"tlClllar,
total per capita meat sup
plies have been record large.
While prices of most food
and other items continued to
rise rapidly, Carlson said,
meat prices remained
relatively favorable
Looking at the economic
situation for the cattle in
dustry, Carlson noted that
total cattle numbers have
been at a cyclical low point
for the past two years
Theoretically, at this point in
the cattle cycle, catlemen
should be making good
profits
However, energy, interest,
feed and other costs have
been rising even more than
die general inflation rate. At
the same time, large total
meat supplies, inflation and
a weak economy have
tended to hurt demand The
result has been a financial
squeeze on cattlemen for the
past year or more This
situation, Carlson said, may
delay or limit future herd
expansion.
A major problem at this
time results from the 1980
drought, a smaller corn crop
and a big increase in feed
gram prices The higher feed
costs, Carlson explained,
have contributed to financial
losses for cattle feeders.
That, in turn, means weaker
demand and lower prices for
feeder cattle (the cattle
purchased by feeders, from
producers, for finishing in
feedlotsj Cow-calf
operators, who produce beef
calves, have been in a break
even or loss position since
last February And a lack of
1981
profits obviously reduces the
incentive and ability to
expand basic breeding
herds, Carlson said.
If the industry’s cost-price
squeeze continues, he said,
the current cydmcal build
up m cattle numbers may be
slowed or halted This would
mean less beef in future
years than generally has
been expected.
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